Dirt-spreading attachment for cars.



E. MQOORMIGK. DIRT $PREADING ATTACHMENT FOR was.

- APPLIOATION FILED vIAN. 17, 1910.

' Patented Aprt12, 1.910;

v gwumto a 2mm F dbl Z761 M e Kori/7204.

EDWARD MCCORMICK, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

DIRT-SPREADING ATTACHMENT FOR CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 17, 1910.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

Serial No. 538,419.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD MCCORMICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oklahoma city, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dirt- Spreading Attachments for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dirt spreading attachments for cars, in which a vertical wall is rigidly suspended in front of the wheels of a car, to move the dirt, as will hereinafter be fully explained.

The objects of my invention are; first, to provide a device for spreading dirt along railway tracks, by which time and labor are saved; second, to provide a device which is quickly and easily attached to the car, or removed; third, one which will obviate the uneven peripheral wear of the car wheels; fourth, one efficient and comparatively inexpensive. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention as attached to a car, shown in part; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a car having my device attached; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the left front wheel of a car and the oil-box showing a portion of the device attached thereto.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

The ordinary method of operation is to drop the dirt between the rails, from center dump cars, then run the train ahead; place several ties on the rails, transversely and, by means of the car wheels, shove said ties along on the rails, thus causing the dirt to spread; this method blocks the Wheels of the car and causes them to slide on the rails and produce what is commonly called fiat wheels necessitating their removal and replacement by new ones, it is to obviate this expense and waste of time that my device is designed, which will be clearly understood, by referring to the drawings, in which A designates the end, B the side, C the coupling and D the left front wheel of the trucks of a car.

The preferred form of my invention consists of a vertical push-board E composed of the parts or planks a, a and a" bolted to the iron straps b and b, said straps having their upper ends forwardly bent forming the brackets 0 and 0 having slot perforations for the vertical wedges (Z and cl to prevent the tie F from sliding forward and off the said bracket; the object of placing said tie on the brackets being to prevent the dirt, and possibly snow, from passing over the top of the push-board E. See Fig. 2. To suspend said push-board free from the rails G G and preferably in front of the end of the car, two pairs of fiat perforated suspension bars 6 and e are provided, having their forward ends bent into a vertical position and bolted to the rear surface of said push-board at its upper and lower edges, as at e and e. The rear ends of the duplicate bars 6 rest upon the top of the oil boxes D of the car adjacent to the upper truss bar H, and the rear ends of said bars 6 fit against the under surface of said oil boxes adjacent to the lower truss bar H. Said bars 6 and e converge as they extend rearwardly and have, near their rear ends vertical slots to receive the wedges f, by which the suspension yokes g, which are duplicates are secured to the oil boxes D of the car trucks, behind the oil-box flanges. To add strength to said yokes g, the spaces between the said bars 6 and e and the oil boxes and the push-board are filled With pieces of planks it, cut to fit tight and secured in place by lag screws 2', and to further secure said yokes to the oil boxes the auxiliary plates j are bolted to the outer surface of the said yokes and have their rear ends engage the front flanges Z of the oil boxes. See Figs. 2 and 3.

The suspension yokes being in pairs it is deemed unnecessary to show but one in order that both may be understood.

In operation, the rear end of the suspen sion yokes are slipped into place upon the front oil boxes of the car trucks and the locking keys f are driven securely in place; and, to scrape the dirt from the rails G a tie J is placed across and upon the rails in front of the push-board E. See Fig. 2. To detach the device the locking keys f are driven out, which permits the yokes to be slipped forward from the oil-boxes of the car trucks, permitting the removal of the device.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a dirt spreading attachment for cars; a pushboard suspended above the track rails and transversely thereto in front of a car to spread the dirt by pushing it along in the line of travel.

2. In a dirtspreading attachment for cars; a vertical pushboard extending across the rails of the track and in front of the car and having bolted at each end a vertical strap of iron having their upper ends bent forward to form tie brackets or supports, said brackets or supports having Wedge perforations for holding a tie in place.

3. In a dirt-spreading attachment for cars; a vertical push-board extending across the track in front of the car trucks to spread the dirt along the track; a pair of perforated suspension bars having their front ends secured to the ends of said push-board, and

having their rear ends secured to the front oil-boxes of the car trucks to constitute a pair of suspension yokes to carry said pushboard free from the rails.

4. In a dirt spreading attachment for cars; a vertical push-board extending across the track in front of the car trucks to spread the dirt along the track; a pair of perforated suspension bars having their front ends secured to the ends of said push-board, and having their rear ends secured to the front oil-boxes of the car trucks to constitute a pair of suspension yokes to carry said pushboard free from the rails; sections of planks it filled tightly into the space between said suspension bars, the oil-boxes and the pushboard and secured in place by lag-screws passing through said bars and into said planks to add firmness to said yokes.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDIVARD MCCORMICK.

IVitnesses A. D. MARBLE, MABEL B. MARBLE. 

